Carpet reeling apparatus



Jan. 13, 1959 F, sugLwAN 2,868,469

CARPET REELING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 9, 1955 INVENTOR.

- BY Q M ATT Y.

CARPET REELING APPARATUS James F. Sullivan, St. Paul, Minn.

Application February 9, 1955, Serial No. 487,196

7 Claims. (Cl. 242-55) This invention relates to an improvement in carpet reeling apparatus and deals particularly with a device for rolling and unrolling a heavy flexible web on a supporting core.

-In establishments which display carpeting and similar heavy flexible webs, it has been common practice to wind these Webs on cores supported substantially above the floor on parallel horizontal axes. A suitable framework supports a series of such cores and any carpet or web to be viewed may be partially unrolled from the core so that a substantial area of the same may be seen. In view of the weight of a roll of carpeting or the like, considerable difficulty is involved in winding and unwinding this material from the core. This is particularly true where the core is supported at a substantial elevation or where a considerable length of the carpeting is unrolled.

One of the most difficult parts of this operation is encountered when the carpet is first wound upon the core. One end of the carpeting is lifted and attached in any suitable manner to the core and the core must then be wound until all of the carpeting is rolled upon the core. As many hundreds of pounds of material are often involved and as the cores are usually rotated by means of a manually operated crank, considerable effort is necessary to complete the operation.

One of the major difficulties lies in the fact that the depending end of the carpet creates a considerable tendency to rotate the core in a direction to unwind the remainder of the carpet. During the manually cranking operation it is often necessary for the operator to stand upon a step ladder or other such structure. If the operator loses his balance slightly there is a tendency for the crank to rotate in a direction to unwind the carpet and serious injuries can result.

An object of the present invention lies in the provision of a simple power unit which is portable and which may be readily attached to the core of any carpet or web to be wound or unwound. By operating this portable power unit, the core may be readily rotated in either direction so that a desired length of carpet may be unwound for dis play purposes or the carpet may be wound upon the core with a minimum of effort.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a power unit which may be detachably connected to the supporting shaft portion of any core so that the major portion of the unit is offset radially from the axis of the core. Flexible means is provided for holding the power unit from rotation about the axis of the core. The power unit includes an electric motor which may be connected to a suitable source of power and which is equipped with a remote control by means of which it may be operated selectively in either direction. By operation of this control, the carpet may be Wound or unwound by rotation of the core.

rates iiatent lee A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a power unit including an adaptor designed to engage with the core of any reel and which includes a motor offset from the axis of the core and operatively connected to the core through a gear train. The gear train is so constructed that the weight of the carpet suspended from one side of the roll will not rotate the motor. In other words, the gear train locks the roll of carpet from rotation unless the motor is in operation to rotate the wheel in one direction or the other.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

The drawing illustrates diagrammatically a portion of a core supporting frame showing the power unit detachably connected to one of the cores for operating the same.

It should be understood that while the particular structure illustrated is designed for use in winding and unwinding carpeting or the like, it is believed obvious that the device could be used for other purposes without the exercise of invention. It should also be understood that there are many types of framework used for supporting rolls of carpets, some such frames holding the carpet rolls in a common horizontal plane and others holding the axes of the rolls in a common vertical plane. In other constructions such as the one illustrated, the frame is inclined to support the rolls with their axes in a plane inclined with respect to the vertical.

in the particular form illustrated, the frame includes a pair of parallel frame members 10 which are upwardly inclined, one such member being illustrated in the drawing. For supporting the weight, the frame members 10 are shown made of angle iron. The means for connecting the frame members 10 and holding them in parallel inclined relation is not illustrated as this structure forms no part of the present invention.

A series of bearing blocks lll are secured to the frame members 10 in spaced relationship. These bearing blocks 11 each include a base portion 12 and a removable portion 13, the parts being held together by bolts 14 or other suitable means. Bearings such as 15 may be supported in the bearing blocks 11 to support the trunnions l6 projecting from opposite ends of the cores 17. Wheels or discs 19 are provided at opposite ends of the cores 17 to serve as guides for the carpeting 20 and also to serve as a means of rotating the cores 17 when they are empty or relatively empty.

Discs 21 are connected to the cores 17 to rotate in unison therewith. These discs 21 are provided with a series of angularly spaced notches 22. These notches 22 are designed to accommodate a pawl or dog 23 pivoted at 24 between a pair of spaced ears 25 projecting from the upper portions 13 of the bearing blocks 11. These pawls or dogs 23 are shown engaged in one of the notches 22 of each disc 21. Obviously the dogs are disengaged before the reeling apparatus is actuated.

Each of the trunnions 16 is provided with some means designed for detachable connection with an operating element. In the construction illustrated each trunnion includes an axial rectangular socket 26 designed to accommodate a similarly shaped shank of a crank or similar element. The power unit which is indicated in general by the letter A is provided with a rectangular shank 27 designed to engage into a selected socket 26 to cause rotation of the corresponding core 17 with the shank 27.

The power unit A includes a gear housing 29 which is elevated in a direction generally radial with respect to the axis of the shank 27. This gear housing is designed to accommodate the gear train, only portions of which are illustrated, as the particular gear arrangement may be varied. The shank 27 is illustrated as having a cylindrical end 30 which extends through suitable bearings such as 31 in the parallel spaced Walls 32 and 33 of the housing for support. A gear 34 is supported upon the shank end 33 to rotate'therewith. The gear 34 is designed to mesh with a cooperable gear 35 which, in turn, is operated by other gears of the gear train. These gears may be in any suitable arrangement to rotate the shank 27 at a low rate of speed and are so arranged and connected that the weight of a carpet suspended from the roll of carpet will not tend to unwind the roll by rotating the motor through the gears.

The motor is indicated by the numeral 36 and is located with the axis considerably offset from the axis of the shank 27. As a result and as the motor 36 comprises the major portion of the weight of the power unit A, the unit tends to hang with the axis of the motor 36 below the axis of the shank 27.

The motor housing 29 is preferably provided with a peripheral connecting wall 37 between the spaced walls 32 and 33 and connecting the same. The motor is enclosed within a generally cylindrical housing portion 39 arranged with its axis parallel to the axis of the shank 27 and projecting from the gear housing in a direction opposite the direction of the shank 27. A reinforcing rib 40 is shown connecting the motor housing 39 with the upper end of the gear housing 29. The gear housing is formed of two parts which are preferably sealed together along a peripheral line of separation 41.

A sleeve 42 is welded or otherwise affixed to the undersurface of the gear housing 29 and a thumb screw 43 extends right angularly through a wall of the sleeve 42. A cable 44 extends through the sleeve 42 and is held in adjusted position by the thumb nut 43. A cable terminal 45 is provided on one end of the cable 44 to limit the movement of this cablethrough the sleeve 42. The opposite end of the cable 42 is bent to form a loop 46 and the end of the cable is anchored in side by side relation to the body portion of the cable by a suitable cable clamp 47.

The motor 36 is supplied with power through a suitable cord 49 provided with a plug 50 on its extremity, the plug fitting in a suitable socket connected with a source of electric current. A second cable 51 extends into the motor 36 and is connected at'its end to a control 52. The control 52 includes a motor reversing switch which is actuated by-an operating lever 53. When the lever 53 is urged in one direction from center position the motor will rotate in one direction While move ment of the lever 53 in the opposite direction will cause rotation of the motor in the opposite direction.

An anchoring element 54 is mounted to a wall or other fixed anchoring point and includes an anchoring loop 55 capable of being connected by a detachable connector 56 to the loop end 46 to the cable 44. The motor is indicated in general by the numeral 36 and may be an electrical motor of suitable size and shape. The numeral 57 designates the end cover plate of the motor which includes a central bearing boss 59 and starter element housing 60 into which the cords extend. In operation, when it is desired to wind a carpet upon one of the cores 17, the unit A is attached to the core by merely inserting the shank 27 into the core socket 26. The cable 44- is anchored to afixed point by attaching the loop 46 to the connector 56 and by adjusting the cable length so that the lower end of the housing is not too much oil a line between the point of anchorage and the shank 27. The plug 50 is inserted into its socket and the control switch is operated to start the motor 36 operating in the desired direction. The motor acts through the gear train to rotate the shank 27 and to, accordingly, rotate the core 17. Prior to starting the motor, the pawlor dog 23 is released from the'notches 22 and pivoted out of 4 contact with the disc 21. The cable 44 holds the gear housing from rotating an excessive amount about the axis of the shank 27. It is possible that the motor will swing somewhat about the axis of the shank 27 until the cable 44 becomes taut.

When the core has been rotated, as, for example, in winding a carpet 20 onto the core 17, the motor may be stopped through operation of the control 52 and the pawl 23 may be pivoted to engage a notch 22 of the disc 21. The carpet will remain in this position until the pawl is again released.

When it is desired to unwind the carpet, the same procedure can be followed. The power unit is attached to the core by inserting the shank 27 into the core socket and the pawl 23 may then be released. The cable 44 is attached to the anchor point, the plug 50 inserted in its socket, and the control 52 may be operated to rotate the motor in a reverse direction. The carpet may then be unwound from the core a desired distance.

It is essential that the power unit be light in weight and as compact as is possible so that it may be easily mounted and removed. In actual practice the unit weighs approximately twenty-five pounds and, accordingly, may be handled by one man with comparative case. It has been found that most of the labor connected with winding up the rolled carpets can be eliminated by this arrangement and the task of salesmen in displaying carpets to prospective customers can be greatly reduced. If a suitable platform or ladder arrangement is provided adjoining the supporting rack the unit may be changed from one position to another in an extremely short period of time. While the structure is extremely simple in nature it has been found extremely useful and to eliminate most of the difliculty at present experienced in the handling and display of carpets and the like.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my carpet reeling apparatus, and while Ihave endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: 7

1. A power unit for use in conjunction with displaying carpet reeling having in combination 'any of a seriesof reels on which are wound heavy elongated carpeting webs, the reels being rotatably supported in independently spaced relationship, the power unit including a gear-housing having a shank projecting therefrom for independent connection'with each reel, a motor supported by and connected to said gear housing, said motor having its axis substantially spaced from the'axis of said shank, gear means connecting said motor and said shank so that rotation of said motor will cause rotation of said shank, and means connected to said gear housing at a point substantially spaced from said shank for holding said gear housing from rotation about the center of said shank when said shank is engaged with one of said reels, said shank serving as the support for the entire power unit.

2. The construction described in claim 1 and in which said last named means comprises a flexible means.

3. The construction described in claim 1 and in which the axis of said motor is parallel to the axis of said shank.

4. A power unit for independent use in conjunction with any of a series of reels designed for supporting heavy elongated webs in a rolled condition, the power unit including'a gear housing, a shank projecting from said gear housing, means on said shank engageable with a selected reel for independently mounting said gear housing therewith and rotating the reel in unison with the shank, a motor connected to said gear housing and supported thereby at a point substantially spaced from said shank, gear means in said gear housing connecting said motor to said shank for operating the same in unison, and anchoring means connected to said gear housing at a point substantially spaced from said shank for holding said gear housing from rotation about the axis of said shank, when said shank is engaged with one of said reels, said shank serving as the support for the entire power unit.

5. The construction described in claim 4 and in which said anchoring means comprises flexible means.

6. The construction described in claim 4 and in which said anchoring means includes a flexible cable, means adjustably securing said cable to said gear housing, and an anchoring element to which said flexible cable is detach ably connected.

7. The construction described in claim 4 and in which the axis of said motor and said shank are substantially parallel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hering Nov. 4, 1890 Waddell et al. Dec. 8, 1903 Collins et al. Apr. 30, 1907 Davis Oct. 22, 1918 Cook et al. Apr. 27, 1920 Pratt Oct. 5, 1937 Fairbanks June 6, 1939 Hickman Mar. 11, 1947 Schultz et al J an. 24, 1950 Mayer July 3, 1951 Le Geu Oct. 30, 1956 

